Vibration at 50 mph.

[hunt_all]

I recently bought a 2006 Ram 1500 quad with the 4.7. When I test drove it I noticed a little vibration at 50 mph but I thought it was just from the chunkier mud and snow tires it had. I’m not used to bigger/wider mud tires. Now I am wondering if it may be more. Truck runs smooth up to 50 mph and then get a vibration that you feel mainly in the pedals, some in the seat and steering wheel. It lessens a little at 70 mph. What made me wonder is when cornering at speed, it all but goes away with a right hand turn but stays the same with a left. I have been reading and seeing everything from u joints to unbalanced tires. Any thought on what and how I should be checking? It does have the factory 20” rims with nitto mud and snow tires. Thank you all in advance for your help.

 

[Chrismb5.7]

My dad's 07 Silverado classic does this cause his front passenger wheel is out of round... has to be weighted heavily but doesn't solve the issue. Possibly your problem?

 

[Chrismb5.7]

Can't really tell it till you hit highway speeds up until about 65.

 

[dexter]

I recently bought a 2006 Ram 1500 quad with the 4.7. When I test drove it I noticed a little vibration at 50 mph but I thought it was just from the chunkier mud and snow tires it had. I’m not used to bigger/wider mud tires. Now I am wondering if it may be more. Truck runs smooth up to 50 mph and then get a vibration that you feel mainly in the pedals, some in the seat and steering wheel. It lessens a little at 70 mph. What made me wonder is when cornering at speed, it all but goes away with a right hand turn but stays the same with a left. I have been reading and seeing everything from u joints to unbalanced tires. Any thought on what and how I should be checking? It does have the factory 20” rims with nitto mud and snow tires. Thank you all in advance for your help.

Check all these parts, especially rubber parts.

https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-diagnose-a-shaking-steering-wheel-by-timothy-charlet

 

[Bloody_Knuckles]

Start with a wheel alignment.

 

[hunt_all]

So had an alignment done and it was a little out of whack but not bad. While it was up in the air we went through all the suspensions components and everything was solid. But while it was up there I found that the previous owner used 1/4” universal wheels spacers to keep the 295/60r20 from rubbing on the upper control arms. So I’m fairly sure the vibration is being caused by those dumb things. So here is the question... should I go with a 1.5” bora spacer or 1/4” bora spacers with longer studs? The truck came with pocket fairings on it and a 2.5” leaving kit. Thoughts?

 

[WY-Dave]

Just for food for thought. I come from the Jeep world and they are hub-centric. Not sure if the Rams are. If the current spacer can slop around on the hub/lug nuts, then I would say replace them. When I had wider tires on the Jeep before getting new wheels, I used what we called "adapters" (to make them different from the flat spacers). They are the aluminum rings with studs. 1.5" was the easiest because sometimes the 1.25"s would require a small grind down of the studs.

Also, both all the GY Duratracs and 1 BFG KO2 would balance out but within 1000 miles they had weird wear and would always have the balancing overhauled each time I took them in for rotation.


One thing is to see measure the tire to suspension clearance and see if you can take them out without doing any damage and try to isolate them as offenders.

 

[hunt_all]

Thanks WY-Dave. That is exactly the issue. The universal ones that the previous owner used are not hub centric. So I am going to get hub centric spacers. Just not sure if I should go with the 1/4” ones and longer studs to gives me just the clearance I need or go out a little further with 1.5” spacers. What I’m worried about is tire rub on the inner wheel well and fender if I go with the 1.5” spacers. I have read reports of both no rub and rubbing with that much spacer. I’m also unsure about changing the scrub distance to much. Which ever size I go, I’m going with the bora spacers from Motorsport-Tech. Anyone with experience with a setup similar to mine?